Method, system and computer program product for visualizing data

Abstract

A plurality of data attributes are displayed to a user. The user makes a selection of at least two of the attributes. An initial one of the selected attributes is displayed, together with all possible values for the initial one of the selected attributes. The user selects at least one of the possible values for the initial one of the selected attributes. A second one of the selected attributes is displayed, together with all possible values for the second one of the selected attributes that correspond to the selected value of the preceding attribute, along with a corresponding measure for each of the possible values for the second one of the selected attributes

1 . A method fox visualizing data, said method comprising the steps of:
 displaying to a user a plurality of attributes of said data;   obtaining from said user a selection of at least two of said attributes;   displaying an initial one of said selected attributes, together with all possible values fox said initial one of said selected attributes;   obtaining from said user a selection of at least one of said possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes; and   displaying a second one of said selected attributes, together with all possible values for said second one of said selected attributes that correspond to said selection of said at least one of said possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes, along with a corresponding measure fox each of said possible values for said second one of said selected attributes.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of said data is structured. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of said data is unstructured, further comprising preprocessing said unstructured data to classify said unstructured data into classified data. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said attributes are displayed as columns and said values comprise rows in said columns. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said possible values for said second one of said selected attributes that correspond to said selection of said at least one of said possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes are based on a drill-down operation in said data. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of said values for said attributes are numerical and wherein said numerical values are displayed as ranges. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of said values for said attributes are temporal and wherein said temporal values are displayed as date ranges. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in said obtaining from said user said selection of at least one of said possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes, said user selects at least two of said possible values; and   said displaying said second one of said selected attributes comprises simultaneously displaying all possible values for said second one of said selected attributes that correspond to said selection of said at least two of said possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said displaying comprises portraying links between values associated with adjacent attributes. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said links are displayed in different styles corresponding to each of said at least two selected possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the additional step of selectively highlighting said values associated with said adjacent attributes between which said links are portrayed, upon hovering upon a given one of said values with a pointing device. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said user selects at least three of said attributes, further comprising displaying all possible values of each remaining selected attribute, along with a corresponding measure, that correspond to said selection of said at least one of said possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second one of said selected attributes is hierarchical, and wherein said displaying said second one of said selected attributes comprises displaying as a hierarchical tree display. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the additional step of loading said data into a visualization tool, from a spreadsheet, wherein said three displaying steps and said two obtaining steps axe facilitated by said visualization tool. 
   
   
       15 . A system for visualizing data, said system comprising:
 means for displaying to a user a plurality of attributes of said data;   means for obtaining from said user a selection of at least two of said attributes;   means for displaying an initial one of said selected attributes, together with all possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes;   means for obtaining from said user a selection of at least one of said possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes; and   means for displaying a second one of said selected attributes, together with all possible values for said second one of said selected attributes that correspond to said selection of said at least one of said possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes, along with a corresponding measure for each of said possible values for said second one of said selected attributes.   
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 said means for obtaining from said user said selection of at least one of said possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes comprise means for having said user select at least two of said possible values; and   said means for displaying said second one of said selected attributes comprise means for simultaneously displaying all possible values fox said second one of said selected attributes that correspond to said selection of said at least two of said possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes.   
   
   
       17 . A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including computer usable program code for visualizing data, said computer program product including:
 computer usable program code for displaying to a user a plurality of attributes of said data;   computer usable program code for obtaining from said user a selection of at least two of said attributes;   computer usable program code for displaying an initial one of said selected attributes, together with all possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes;   computer usable program code for obtaining from said user a selection of at least one of said possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes; and   computer usable program code for displaying a second one of said selected attributes, together with all possible values for said second one of said selected attributes that correspond to said selection of said at least one of said possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes, along with a corresponding measure for each of said possible values for said second one of said selected attributes.   
   
   
       18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein:
 said computer usable program code for obtaining from said user said selection of at least one of said possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes comprises computer usable program code for said user to select at least two of said possible values; and   said computer usable program code for displaying said second one of said selected attributes comprises computer usable program code for simultaneously displaying all possible values for said second one of said selected attributes that correspond to said selection of said at least two of said possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes.   
   
   
       19 . A system for visualizing data, said system comprising:
 a memory; and   at least one processor, coupled to said memory, and operative to
 display to a user a plurality of attributes of said data; 
 obtain from said user a selection of at least two of said attributes; 
 display an initial one of said selected attributes, together with all possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes; 
 obtain from said user a selection of at least one of said possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes; and 
 display a second one of said selected attributes, together with all possible values for said second one of said selected attributes that correspond to said selection of said at least one of said possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes, along with a corresponding measure for each of said possible values for said second one of said selected attributes. 
   
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein said processor is further operative to:
 obtain from said user said selection of at least one of said possible values for said initial one of said selected attributes by having said user select at least two of said possible values; and   display said second one of said selected attributes by simultaneously displaying all possible values fox said second one of said selected attributes that correspond to said selection of said at least two of said possible values fox said initial one of said selected attributes.